Kavod
/kaˈvod/noun
A Hebrew term meaning honor, glory, dignity, or divine presence.
Did you know?In the Hebrew Bible, kavod can describe both human honor and the overwhelming manifested presence of God, often associated with brightness, cloud, or fire.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*kabid-
“Heavy; weighty”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
כָּבֵד (kāvēḏ)
“To be heavy; to be weighty, imposing, or honored”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
כָּבוֹד (kāvōḏ)
“Weight, honor, glory, or splendor”
Ancient Israelite religion
Hebrew
כְּבוֹד־יְהוָה (kəḇōḏ YHWH)
“The glory or manifest presence of the God of Israel”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Hebrew
kavod
“Honor, respect, dignity, or social status”
Modern English
English
kavod
“A transliterated Hebrew term for honor, glory, or divine presence”
Explore more surprising origins